Robert Lee Tate

Robert Tate November 17, 1925 - June 5, 2015 Robert Lee Bob Tate, 89, devoted husband, father, and man of faith joined his Lord and Savior on Friday June 5, 2015. Visitation and services will be held 10 a.m., and 11 a.m. respectively, Thursday, June 11, at Wilkirson-Hatch-Bailey Chapel at 6101 Bosque Boulevard in Waco. Burial with follow at Waco Memorial Park. Bob Tate was born November 17, 1925, in Memphis, Texas, the son of Dr. Norman F. Tate Sr. and Lucy Herd Tate. Bob was greatly influenced by Dr. Tate through the Tate-Lax family business, which was well known throughout Central and West Texas for its traveling medicine show and pharmaceutical lab based in Waco. Bob graduated from Waco High School in 1943 and enlisted in the same year with the US Navy where he served as Pharmacist's Mate 2c with the 136th Naval Construction Battalion Seabees. He was deployed to the Pacific theater from NTS San Diego and stationed in Guam for a total of 19 months of sea duty. Bob also served as a Second Lieutenant with the US Army Reserves Transportation Corps in 1953. Following his WWII service he earned a Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Texas at Austin in 1950. Bob had a son, Robert Lee II, and adopted daughter, Cindy Ann, with ex-wife of 12 years, Louise Wiese Tate. Bob worked with pharmacies throughout Waco for 50+ years and was a longstanding member of the Heart of Texas Pharmacy Association where he served as Permanent Treasurer and President. With pharmacy friends and his family Bob traveled throughout the US and abroad on numerous HOTPA-organized vacations and events and has seen every continent save Antartica. He was an active member at the Columbus Avenue Church of Christ and then the Crestview Church of Christ where he served as a Deacon and home visitation volunteer for many years. Bob married Trudie Ballard Johnson in 1975, and at the time of his death they had been married 40 years. With her sons Jeff and Greg they made a home on ranch land near Lorena, where Bob enjoyed life as an after-hours gentleman farmer. Bob was always involved in the local community and during this time was honored for 28 years of service as Director of the Spring Valley Water Supply Corp. In turns, Bob has enjoyed boating/skiing, then motorcycles, sports cars and eventually tractors. Survivors include his wife, Trudie B. Tate of Lorena; son, Lee Tate of Austin, son, Jeffery Johnson and wife, Kathleen, of Moraga, CA, daughter, Cindy Jeffery and husband, Terry, of Tucson, AZ; and granddaughters, Annie Johnson of Washington, DC, Virginia Johnson of Berkeley, CA, Elizabeth Downey and husband, Jeremiah, of Waco and Abigail Johnson of Robinson. Bob would have asked that memorials be made to charities benefiting children and the family suggests the Make-A-Wish Foundation. The family invites you to leave a message or memory in our "Memorial Guestbook" at www.WHBfamily.com. Wilkirson-Hatch-Bailey